Leeton car crash: Tania Murphy’s boyfriend allegedly threatened her before fatal crash killing four

The boyfriend of a mother who died in a horror crash alongside her two sons and nephew allegedly broke into her house with a mystery man and threatened her and a child – as little as six minutes before she died. 

Tania Murphy, 36, was driving along Research Road in Yanco, near Leeton in southern NSW, when her car smashed into a telegraph pole at about 11.15pm on Thursday. 

The mum-of-six had Nathaniel, 11, Jeremiah, 10, and her 12-year-old nephew Malakai Murphy in the car when it veered off the road, struck the pole and rolled into an embankment.

Emergency services and paramedics rushed to the scene where they found the Hyundai Getz hatchback upside-down and all four passengers dead.

Ms Murphy’s partner Dean Cluney, 32, who also uses the surname Ingram, was charged with a string of domestic violence offences on Wednesday by detectives investigating the quadruple fatality.

Police will allege Cluney committed domestic violence acts at Ms Murphy’s home sometime in the 10 minutes before she crashed her car 3km away.

Court documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia reveal police will allege Cluney kicked in the back door of Ms Murphy’s home and entered the property with another man sometime between 11.09 and 11.20pm on Tuesday. 

Cluney is then accused of stalking stalking or trying to intimidate Ms Murphy and a young girl, who is believed to be a child. 

Tania Murphy (pictured, centre), 36, was driving with her two sons and her nephew when she crashed her car into a telegraph pole and rolled it into an embankment

Court documents reveal police will allege Ms Murphy’s boyfriend Dean Cluney (pictured) entered her home with another man prior to the crash

The second man named in court documents as being involved in the alleged break in has not been charged. 

Cluney did not appear at Griffith Local Court on Wednesday and was instead represented by his lawyer, who requested the matter be adjourned until June.

The 32-year-old was arrested on Wednesday as part of police investigations into the fatal crash. 

Police charged him with two counts of stalking with intent to cause harm, and one count of aggravated break and enter. 

Cluney’s mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, was also arrested as part of police investigations into the crash but has since been released without charge. 

On Thursday afternoon, close friend Tania Ingram remembered Ms Murphy and the boys as ‘four shining stars’.

‘I can still hear her infectious laugh – she just made you happy just being around her,’ Ms Ingram wrote.

Nathaniel, 11, (left) and his brother Jeremiah, 10, (right) died on Tuesday night with their mother, Tania Murphy, and her nephew Malakai Murphy

Tania Murphy’s 12-year-old nephew Malakai Murphy (pictured) also died in the crash

‘She just didn’t realise she deserved more and could do so much better then she had. Such a sad, tragic loss. We are struggling with loosing such a beautiful woman and those beautiful, cheeky boys.’

Another friend said the impact of the four deaths would impact the community ‘for a very long time’.

‘It’s just such devastation for so many people and for what? Like, why? It’s just unnecessary,’ they wrote.

Someone else asked: ‘How does someone bury a daughter and three grandchildren and remain standing?’

In the wake of the arrest, relatives of Ms Murphy and Mr Ingram have turned on each other in a series of explosive posts.

On Wednesday afternoon, before the charges were laid, Mr Ingram’s aunt Leonie  Kawelmacher wrote an online message of support for her sister Ms Chattaway, which said: ‘Love U Wendy woo we got this I f***ing hope.’

She then deleted the post, and was blasted for doing so by Leki Jeann – relative of the dead mother.

Mr Ingram’s aunt Leonie Kawelmacher wrote an online message of support for sister Ms Chattaway, which said: ‘Love U Wendy woo we got this I f***ing hope’ (pictured)

In the wake of the arrests, relatives of Ms Murphy and Mr Ingram started turning on each other in a series of inflammatory social media posts (pictured)

Ms Jeann posted screenshots of the now-deleted Facebook post, tagged Ms Kawelmacher and wrote: ‘Why delete [SIC] ya post Leonie? What, [you] thought nobody seen it so ya quickly try an delete it?’

She then accused Ms Kawelmacher of supporting Mr Ingram, who allegedly stalked and intimidated Ms Murphy before she died.

But Ms Kawelmacher hit back at the accusation, withdrawing her support and saying she had no idea her sister was being questioned by police over the crash.

‘I never knew what happened and once I knew what went down I f***ed right off away from the c***s,’ she wrote in the comments.

‘I’ll attack the c***s [SIC] meself if they come near me.’

Ms Kawelmacher then took to Facebook on Thursday morning to tell friends that she has cut ties with Ms Chattaway and Mr Ingram. 

‘Just to clear things up I had no idea of the actual events that went down I was there to support a friend … and I was not aware and once I realised what had happened I cut all ties,’ she wrote.

‘I’m so deeply sorry for the confusion and any harm I caused it was never my intention I’m forever respectful towards my mob and my deepest condolences go out to all family and friends I can not imagine the pain your feeling.’

On Wednesday evening, Ms Murphy’s boyfriend Dean Ingram (pictured), 32, and his mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, were arrested as part of investigations into the fatal crash

His mother Wendy Chattaway, 50, was also arrested. She was released without charged

On Wednesday night, Ms Kawelmacher could be seen pacing back and forth at Griffith Police Station, waiting for Mr Ingram to be released from custody with his friends and family.

After Ms Ingram was charged on Wednesday, NSW Police issued a statement:  ‘Officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District have been told the rear door of a home in Cudgel Street, Yanco, was allegedly kicked in and a resident threatened shortly after 11pm Tuesday (4 April 2023).’

‘About 15 minutes later, a vehicle being driven along Research Road left the road and crashed, resulting in the deaths of a 36-year-old woman and three boys aged 10, 11 and 12.’

Police taped off Ms Murphy’s home on Wednesday, which is owned by the Leeton and Districts Aboriginal Corporation. 

Julieanne Abraham, Ms Murphy’s best friend, said she had to tell the dead woman’s nine-year-old daughter that her mother was dead. 

‘She has been the best mum, best friend and best lady I have ever met,’ Ms Abraham said.

‘I only spoke to her yesterday and I had to tell her daughter that she wasn’t coming home.

‘She was awesome, we had lots of fun when we spent time together – the kids used to call me nanny – we were all one big family.’

Rescue workers at the scene of the tragic crash near Leeton in which a mother and three boys died on Tuesday

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